The Klingon War
by Lucreace
Summary: A simple delivery job sees Alhana and her crew of smugglers embroiled right in the centre of a Klingon Civil war. I suck at summaries. Follow up to The Smugglers- involves the same characters. Set after Into Darkness. Involves Khan, a bunch of O/C's and some crazy situations.
1. Chapter 1

**This is the second part of The Smugglers. Decided to start a new plotline using the same characters from there. Nothing like a refresh to get the plot flowing again eh?! Anyways, hope you enjoy this one, feel free to leave comments and suggestions. Thanks for reading. :)**

Piloting the Warbird into orbit was something Alhana never tired of. It signalled the end of a journey and the prospect of picking up a new job. It meant being paid for a job completed and finding new people to work with. Mempa was a particular favourite with her and the crew, it was like coming home. It had been a pleasure to accept the mission to visit the planet from the Klingon embassy on Khazara. As she steered the ship into orbit, Alhana could see the barely contained excitement on Tig's face. Her first officer had not been home for many years, the prospect of seeing his family was making a positive impact. His grin revealed his teeth and he could not keep from laughing.

The light on the console flashed from red to green and Alhana sat back, they were settled and in a stable orbit around the planet, "We're done," she said. "I know you're desperate to get down there Tig but can we get everything in order first?" she said

"Of course," the large Klingon replied. He pushed brown hair back from his face, "What did you have in mind?"

"I've got to take the supplies to Ambassador Goran. If you move the crates to the transporter, that should be enough. I'll take Khan and Kang with me before we make the exchange. As soon as we're clear for that, you'll be free to go." Tig gestured to Maglin, who followed him from the bridge. Alhana stood up and stretched, even to her, the prospect of walking on solid ground once more was an exciting one. "Tavana, patch me through ship wide." A couple of clicks and it was done, "We've made it. We are now in orbit of Mempa and are preparing to make the delivery. I need Khan and Kang in the transporter room in five minutes. I know what being here means to most of you, however, we cannot all go to the surface at once. The ship needs watching regardless of where we are. Mindor, Emony and Ranka, you're to stay here for the first shift. I'll come and relieve you after a few hours. I need not remind you to stay safe and be careful. We shall be here for forty eight hours. Alhana out."

Mindor stood at the same time as Alhana and moved to her chair, "Good luck Captain," he said. She nodded before leaving the bridge and heading to the transporter room. She was met by Emony. It didn't take long for Khan and Kang to join her. "Are we ready?" she said. The dark haired human and the albino Klingon both nodded. The warm hum of the transporter sounded and for the briefest of moments, Alhana was engulfed with soft red light. Seconds later, the three of them were standing outside the embassy. It was a building constructed of near black stone and featured some hefty spikes. There was no doubt that it had been designed by Kormac, a fairly modern Klingon with an affinity for putting as many sharp looking implements on a building as he could. Alhana checked to make sure she had the electronic order stored in her wrist device before crossing the courtyard. There were Klingons everywhere, going about their daily business, rushing in a way that only a Klingon could. Some of them shot sidelong glances at her party but that was to be expected. Most had never seen an albino before and she knew that none of them would have seen a human walking into the embassy before either. Two humans for all they knew. Alhana looked human on the outside, the visible parts anyway, but counted herself Klingon. Her father was a Klingon and she had been raised on Kro'nos.

Alhana ignored the obvious stares, striding straight to her destination full of purpose. There was no point letting the gawking get to her, Kang could ignore it, so could she. They climbed the dark steps to the embassy and entered. The guards on the door didn't bother looking at them. It was a good sign. She approached a bored looking Klingon behind a desk, "nuqneH?" he said looking up. He was young, too young Alhana thought. There was a time not so long ago that she had been in a similar position, now it just made her feel old.

"Have a delivery for Ambassador Goran," Alhana said. The young Bekk looked up and studied her briefly.

"Orders?" Alhana punched into her wrist device and brought up the purchase order signed by Goran, "Wait here," he said. He began tapping into a computer and Alhana turned around to face her two companions

"Ever the problem of the deliveryman," she said.

"Shame there's been no call for protection duty." Kang said.

"'Bird couldn't hack it," Khan said, "She needs some serious upgrades to her weapons if we want to consider work like that."

"Shame that's true," Alhana said. "We're not in to position to be able to do so yet either."

"Have you even sourced the parts?"

"Yes, just not cheaply enough for us to make the changes yet," Alhana replied. The Bekk looked up from his screen as Alhana turned back.

"You can go through." She nodded and led her two companions through the large double doors and down the corridor. The whole place smelled of paperwork and politics, it turned her stomach to be in such a place but the job was well paid. Maybe enough to get the weapon systems updated and therefore stop Kang's moaning.

"How do you know where you're going?" Kang asked.

"I don't," she said with a shrug and a smile, "But if that Bekk is incompetent enough to let me explore this place without an escort, that's his oversight and our gain."

"And what are we likely to find in this building that would be of any interest to any of us?" Kang asked. Alhana ignored him, focusing instead on the names on the doors. Eventually, she found one with Goran's name written on it. She opened the door and they walked in.

"Goran?" she said. The older Klingon looked up from the desk he was sat at and nodded. His thick brown eyebrows lifted as they entered the room and the ghost of a smile passed his face.

"What do you want?" he said by way of greeting. Alhana once more punched up the details of the order and showed it to the Ambassador.

"Excellent! And ahead of schedule too," he said looking up, "Just answer me something before I pass on the next part of your assignment."

"What?"

"How did you manage to offend General Gorchek to the point that he wanted you executed?" Alhana's eyes widened at the mention of that name and shook her head. "Never mind, it is between you and him."

"I appreciate that." Alhana said, "Our disagreement is of a personal nature and not one I like to dwell upon."

"Very well. If you have the goods beamed into this office, I can tell you the next part of your work." Goran said, He looked disappointed to not find out the information about the argument but didn't press the matter. As far as Alhana was concerned, Gorchek was dead. She tapped into her wrist device and arranged the transporter. Moments later, the crates had appeared into Goran's room. The Ambassador stood and opened one of them. On inspecting the goods, he appeared happy, "These food supplies will come in handy over the next few months. What I want you to do, is take weapons to an outpost on B'Moth," Kang's eyes narrowed at the mention of the planet, "Don't get upset, it's a small outpost we are using to keep our warriors equipped. It's little more than a cache; I just need to replace some supplies that have been reported as used up."

"Where are these weapons and what are they?" This time it was Khan who spoke.

"Careful human, do not speak out in front of your betters," Goran said. Alhana felt Khan's frown from behind her, could see him tense in her mind's eye.

"Khan is a member of my crew," Alhana said. "A valued member," she added, letting a hint of warning into her voice.

"What possible value can you have for a human?" Goran asked. There was no insult in his voice, he just seemed curious.

"I am a product of late twentieth century genetic engineering. I was cryogenically frozen for three hundred years before being revived eighteen earth months ago. I am physically and mentally better than anything naturally evolved on Earth." Khan said.

"Khan has already proved himself to be a valuable asset to my crew. Any dishonour you do to him, you do to me." Alhana said.

"No insult intended." Goran said, Khan relaxed behind her, "Will you take my job? Same conditions as before?"

Alhana paused a moment, if only to make it look as though she was considering the offer, it was a lot of money, enough to get the ship's weapons upgraded. The job was simple enough too, drop off some weapons and leave. Slowly she nodded, "We'll take it. Give us a day or so to resupply the ship and we'll be on our way. Job should be done by the end of next week."

Goran smiled showing brown teeth, "Very well. I'll have the goods ready for transport within the hour." Alhana nodded and left the room, Khan and Kang followed in silence. They were silent all the way out of the building. It was only when they were in the busy courtyard outside that Kang spoke up.

"We cannot go to B'Moth," he said. The look on his face was one of sheer terror, something Alhana had never seen before.


	2. Chapter 2

Back on board the Warbird, Alhana confronted Kang about his misgivings. They sat in the rec room together, while Khan arranged the transportation of the goods. Alhana had made coffee and was waiting for him to speak his piece. "Do you know anything about B'Moth?" he asked.

"It's a fringe world, class M although a lot colder than we're used to, not too dissimilar to Rura Penthe."

"It makes Rura Penthe look like a holiday park." Kang said. Alhana sipped her coffee and waited for her friend to elaborate, "I was there. When you found me on K'Tinga, I was a mess."

"I remember." Alhana said.

"I'd not been escaped long. I survived by hiding in one of the service tunnels for days. Waiting for them to be flushed into the cleaning tanks, I laid in waste. I can still smell it at times. I cannot go back there. Do you know what they'll do if I'm caught? If you are caught with me?" Kang said.

"If that happened, we'd deal with it, like we always deal with it. Until then, we have an opportunity to make a load of money for relatively little effort on our part and I intend to exploit it as much as I can," Alhana said. Kang nodded, Alhana could almost hear his brain working as he thought about what she'd said. "It could be that you stay here and mind the ship while the rest of us make this delivery. Would that work for you?"

"I think that's the best idea." Kang said.

"Excellent, until then, would you help Khan so we can make space for the new crates?"

"Yes." Kang stood up and left Alhana alone. She let out a sigh before leaving the rec room herself. She had no idea that Kang had been imprisoned before they'd met. He rarely spoke of his past and that must be the reason why. She could only guess what his experiences may have been while incarcerated; she didn't even want to consider what it was that he'd done to get put in there in the first place. She returned to the bridge and relieved the crew. Emony and Mindor left the bridge. Ranka remained.

"You don't have to stay if you don't want." Alhana said settling into the chair.

"I'm running a diagnostic, it'll be done in a while," she said without looking up. The console she sat at was indeed making the right noises for a diagnostic scan.

"No problems I hope?"

"Nothing so far, all's been well since the repairs, doesn't hurt to check though." Ranka said. She returned to the scanner and Alhana brought up the star charts. It didn't take long to get the new course plotted in. After that, there was a mountain of communications they'd intercepted to read through and a bunch of reports the crew had filed too. She knew it would make for dull reading but it was her job and it needed doing.

Most of the missives were plain requisitions and personal messages that had slipped through the filter. There was one detailing a quarrel between a husband and wife, which was not going well for either. Although it made interesting gossip, it wasn't of any use to Alhana. The next few were just purchase requests sent over an open channel, possibly by accident, for nothing more important than food or medical supplies. The last one, however, raised some interesting questions. It was sent from B'Moth and was a request for assistance regarding a discovery. There was no mention of what had been found and the missive was over a week old. "Anything good?" It was Khan. She indicated the message and gave him a moment to read it. "What do you think?"

"Could be nothing." Alhana shrugged

"Maybe." Khan read it once more and shrugged to, "We can keep it in mind when we arrived." He pushed black hair back from his face.

"Yes. Is everything in order?"

"We have the new cargo and it is stashed for transport." Khan replied. He selected the communications chair and lounged in it, "How long before we're underway?"

"Good day and a half." Alhana replied.

"Let me go and fetch some decent reading material then," he said with a smile.

"Bring the ones in Klingon this time." Alhana said, there was something about the Terran script that she found confusing, it made her reading that much slower. Reading in her native tongue was so much simpler. Khan let out a small laugh before leaving the bridge. He returned moments later carrying a couple of books. He handed one to her with a small smile.

"There was a time not so long ago where we would have been fighting instead of reading," he said before slumping back in his chair.

"Oh come on, I'm not that civilised yet, as you'd say. I still want to fight you. I want to fight the world. That's never going away, it's how I'm made. I just appreciate other things as well now." Alhana explained, "Like reading."

"I'm glad to see I've been a positive influence," Khan said.

"Cut the sarcasm else there will be a fight."

Khan rolled his eyes before opening the book in his hands, "Mind telling me who General Gorchek is?" he asked after a moment.

"General Gorchek wants me dead. We had a rather large disagreement about some of the choices I made. Apparently it is a dishonour to him that I fly about the galaxy following my own designs in a 'flying rust-bucket'. He hates that I am successful at it but what really irks him is that I did this without his consent." Alhana explained.

"What is he to you?"

"He is the man married to my mother." Alhana replied.

"Your father then?"

"Yes." Alhana said putting her finger into the book and closing it.

"He wants you dead?"

"I know he used to. It has been a long long time since I spoke to him about anything. I have no desire to speak to him again and I know he feels the same." Alhana said. Khan nodded and returned to his reading. Alhana did the same, yet she felt there were some unanswered questions from her friend. Something that he didn't quite know how to ask yet. She left it with him though; he would find the right words in time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Going to take a bit longer betweem updates as the end of term is looming, as are so many deadlines. I'll try and do them as often as I can but cannot promise daily updates like I have done in the past. **

**Still, hope you're enjoying this little yarn of mine. Hang in there, I will continue this!**

Kang's fist connected with Akhil's jaw, there was a resounding crack and an intake of breath from the crowd. Her head snapped back forwards and she stretched her neck first left, then right. Kang's mouth spread into a grin, revealing his jagged teeth. He pulled back his fist once more, this time, Akhil was ready. She caught the fist in her open palm, curled her fingers over his and pulled forward, forcing Kang off balance. He stumbled a couple of times. Akhil stepped backwards as Kang regained his footing. "Stand still woman!" he barked.

"And let you land another neck-snapper? I don't think so," she replied. Kang snorted but remained where he was, this time waiting for her to make a move. Khan edged over to Alhana.

"Why do they do this?" Khan asked.

"Practice mostly, it doesn't take long to become out of form when fighting." Alhana said.

"But the damage they do to each other would cause problems if an actual fight was encountered. Would it not be wise for them to pull their blows and try to not really kill each other?"

"Maybe, Klingons are a tough race though Khan, tougher than your average human. What would break the bones of a human would barely cause a bruise on a Klingon." Alhana whispered. The slap of skin hitting skin made her look up and she smiled. As if to emphasise her point, Kang shrugged off the blow and responded in kind, "I did try to stop this from happening among the crew at first."

"Yeah?"

"I found that the crew became sullen, tense and the ship wasn't a good place to be. I find the fight ring, held a couple of times a month, is a good place to air grievances and resolve disputes in a controlled manner. It's good for discipline." Alhana said, "How did you do it back when you were in charge of Earth?"

"I used fear, those who didn't agree I made disappear." Khan replied. Alhana nodded

"That is a common occurrence on Kronos. Although eventually, when you rule with fear, those under you will rise up and displace you. Again, it's a common occurrence on Kronos."

"One I know only too well." Khan said. Alhana nodded, she could easily recall the story he'd told her. How he and seventy two of his friends had been ejected from the world they'd tried to build. Cryogenic suspension, now a complete waste of time and energy, had led to an extended stay in space.

"I find this way has led to some good friendships, built on trust and some great adventures. What is a little fight between friends anyway?" she asked.

"I just can't see how it can lead to being effective in battle."

"We've been doing it this way for a long time Khan and we're still here." Alhana said, "It'll take more than a few hard knocks to put us out the sky." Khan nodded before turning back to the fight. It looked as though it was nearly over, Kang was bleeding freely from a cut on his forehead and Akhil was sweating from the exertion. She had him pinned to the floor, her knee in the small of his back and her arms resting on his shoulders. Despite his best attempts to hide it, it was clearly causing him some discomfort. He tapped the floor.

"Ah, the great Kang, finally toppled by Akhil." Ranka said with a smile. Akhil nodded at her friend before letting Kang regain his feet.

"Next time you won't be so lucky." Kang grumbled.

"Luck had nothing to do with it, you're getting slow." Akhil said. Kang glowered at her for a moment before extending his hand. Akhil clasped it in her own with a grin.

"You're probably right, good fight."

Alhana clapped her hands, "Right, who's next?" she said. There was a moment of silence before Tavana stepped forward. Her long dark hair was pushed back from her ridged face and she wore a deep frown.

"Maglin," she said. The Klingon stepped forward and ran his hands over his cranial ridges.

"We spoke about this," he hissed.

"Words were not enough," Tavana replied.

"Very well."

"Make ready." Alhana said. Both Klingons set themselves in defensive positions, "Fight." They charged each other and came together with a clash. This was no precise bout, it looked more like a bar room brawl than anything. Alhana watched as the two grappled and pawed at each other. Maglin managed to get Tavana into a headlock but she clawed at him, swinging wildly, looking for purchase. She found his cheek. Maglin roared and released her. Tavana was on him in moments, her limbs flailing. The crowd was silent as the two came together once more.

"Captain." It was Tig who spoke. Alhana looked round. "We're coming into orbit around B'Moth."

"Excellent, I'll-"

"What the hell are they doing?" Tig asked indicating the brawl.

"I'm not entirely sure," Alhana said, "Tavana mentioned something about a disagreement but didn't elaborate, then this started."

"Ahh," Tig said, a sly smile creeping onto his face.

"Anything I need to know about?" Tig motioned his head for her to follow away from the fight, which she did, "Tell me on the way."

"Nothing important Captain," Tig said, "She rejected his advances, he refused to accept that."

"Oh I see," Alhana said with a laugh, "No wonder they're fighting so… passionately!" Tig inclined his head. They reached the bridge and there, right in the centre of the view screen, was B'Moth. Just to the right of the red planet, was another Klingon vessel, a huge Bird of Prey, K'Tinga class.

"We are still cloaked," Tig said.

"Good." Alhana nodded. She tapped the comm system, "Khan, get to the bridge." Moments later, he arrived. "That is a top of the range Klingon battle cruiser," she said pointing at the screen.

"I see," Khan said.

"The only one I knew existed was owned by General Gorchek. Now, there may be others, it's been a while since we intercepted anything from the Defence Force but we need to be very careful. We cannot be discovered, if he knows it is me here, he'll likely blow us up. He can do it and we have nothing that can defend against a vessel of that calibre."

"We'll stay cloaked and see if we can do this unnoticed," Tig said.

"There is nothing to worry about." Khan said.

Alhana nodded and chewed on her lower lip, if only that was the truth.


	4. Chapter 4

She'd been sat on the bridge for countless hours, watching the gargantuan ship on the view screen. It hadn't moved or made any signs that it had spotted them or that it had any idea they were hiding either. The sight of the vessel made her heart pound and her palms clammy. She stared intently at the screen, as if willing it to leave was enough to make the ship disappear. "You'll hurt your eyes if you keep that up," Khan said. Alhana jumped and looked around. He thrust a hot cup of coffee into her hands and she smiled.

"I just want it gone," she said.

"Staring isn't going to do that,"

"I know but it helps." Alhana replied. She looked away from the screen and ran her hand over her face. The ghostly image of the ship followed her eyes and she gave a half laugh. Khan was right, her eyes were sore.

"How long have I been here?" she asked. Khan shrugged, pushing black strands of longish hair out his face. She liked it better now that it had grown a little, it made him seem less stuffy and more, well, more savage if she was honest. At least he'd fit in with the rest of them.

"Do you know you cock your head to one side when you scrutinise me?" he said.

"I wasn't scrutinising you." Alhana retorted. Khan smiled and all she could do was flush.

"Liar," he said before turning back to the console he was supposed to be monitoring. There was no point denying it, she returned to staring at the screen, the ship was still there. "We have a delivery to make." Khan said after completing his scan.

"Yes, we do. It'll be a quick drop off at the cache and then we can get out of here and forget we ever saw that ship." Alhana said.

"Shall we get it done then?" Khan said standing up, "I could use feeling some solid ground under my feet."

"Think we'll take Tig and Akhil as well." Alhana stood, "Give us ten minutes and be in the transporter room."

Ten minutes later, the four of them were transported down to the surface of B'Moth. Harsh wind was the first thing that cut through Alhana. It was a cold biting wind that sliced through her clothing and chilled her in seconds. She shivered and looked around. It was dark but the light of a nearby lamp illuminated the area. They had followed the co-ordinates given to them by Goran and found themselves in the middle of a dreary looking compound. Grey dust clattered across the square, bombarding both the buildings and Alhana's team. "The place should be around here somewhere," she shouted over the wind. "Break into two teams and try to find the store room, once we find it, we can get the crates into it and get out of here!" she said. Tig and Akhil nodded and took off to the east. Khan and Alhana went to the west. The first building was an outhouse, containing nothing more than a toilet and a broom. The second was a larger building, a quick sweep of the corridors showed this was more of a mess-hall and bunker room than what they were looking for.

"I thought this was meant to be a cache, not a manned outpost." Khan said. He moved a discarded shirt with his foot. Alhana nodded.

"Seems there is more to this than Goran told us.

"Isn't there always?" Khan said with a shrug. The clang of something hitting the side of the simple metal building made Alhana jump. The wind rattled the walls and they shook under the bombardment.

"I don't like this." Alhana said. Khan shook his head. She tapped into her wrist, all she got was static, "BaQa! Why now?" she cursed. "You didn't pick a storm up on the scanners?"

"No."

"Hope they're not on the blink too. We'll worry about that later, if there is a storm coming," her words were punctuated by another bang, "Then we should get the others and find somewhere to hole up."

They made for the door and fought with the wind to get it open. As soon as it was thrown back, it became clear that going out into the compound was no option. Fine sand obscured the view. The other buildings could no longer be seen and it was clear there were larger object in the squall than sand and grit. "We'll just have to wait it out here." Khan said, "There were some boxes back there, we could try and see what's been going on."

"Before the occupants come back." Alhana nodded. They returned to the bunk room and began examining the contents of eight boxes that lined the room. They contained nothing more than clothing and a few crude weapons. Alhana slammed one of the boxes shut and sat on it with a sigh. The wind continued to rattle around the metal building and showed no sign of slowing down. "Anything?"

"Nothing useful." Khan said. He grabbed one of the pillows and put it against the wall. "We may be here a while. Might as well be comfortable." Alhana nodded and tapped her wrist-watch, nothing but static greeted her. She frowned and tapped it again.

"I don't understand why this isn't working." Alhana said, "There was no trace of ion energy in the area and as far as I know, ionic activity isn't present on the planet at all. That's the only thing that blocks the transmitters."

"Could it be something else blocking it? That happened at Star Fleet." Khan said.

"Yeah, it did!" Alhana said, "If they have anti-beaming technology in place, there really is more to it than we were told."

"What does Goran have to gain from this?" Khan said waving his hand around the bunker. "There are better ways to get soldiers trained."

"I'm not convinced they're training soldiers." Alhana said, "Goran would have military camps for that, I don-" Khan cut her off with his left hand and placed his index finger to his lips. Alhana was silent immediately. He pointed to the door and indicated people. Alhana nodded and arose from the box. She inclined her head before tiptoeing to the door. Khan's lips twitched up in a half smiled before he relaxed into his seat a little more. He drew his disrupter and placed it across his lap. Alhana flattened herself behind the door so when it opened she would be behind it, it was time to find out who had been hiding out down here.


	5. Chapter 5

Voices approached the door. Alhana held a breath. The door flew opened and her view was obstructed, she crouched down as the voices cut off. Clearly they has seen Khan sat there, "Who are you?" demanded someone in a gruff voice. He spoke Klingon and his accent placed him as being from the Quin'lat region; Goran's home city.

"What are you doing here?" barked another. Alhana could picture the calm expression on her friend's face and had to stifle a laugh. She knew how infuriating that could be

"You know I was wondering that exact same thing." Khan said tapping the disrupter on his knee. "My crew and I were sent here to make a delivery of goods to what we thought was little more than a cache, yet here we are and here you are. A cache isn't manned but there are eight of you here.

"That is nothing to do with you, human!" Gruff Voice spat. Alhana rolled her eyes.

"I disagree," Alhana could hear the subtle shift in his tone of voice; his hands would be bunching and unbunching as he spoke. "I'm only going to ask this once, what is going on here? Answer me, now."

"I do not answer to humans."

As soon as Khan moved, Alhana moved. She kicked the door out the way and aimed her disruptor at the nearest Klingon. She fired, he dropped. She aimed and fired again, this time the shot went wide and pinged into the wall. The device was knocked from her hand by a sharp blow and sent clattering across the floor. The next moment, she was facing a large male with a pierced cranial ridge. Her hand connected with his nose and she felt it crunch. She followed it with a swift kick, sending him backwards into another Klingon. Although there was blood leaking from his nose, he regained his footing and swung for her. She ducked, his blow went wide but it was followed by a boot to her gut. Lights exploded across her eyes as the heavy blow threw the wind from her chest. She coughed once but retained her balance. She raised her fist once more and whirled around, catching the Klingon in the ribs. She followed it up with a kick before dodging a blow from another assailant. "Khan!" she shouted. A crunch followed by a moan from someone was the only answer she got. This time, she didn't see the blow coming. A sharp pain to the side of her head sent her sprawling to the floor. She rolled to the side and avoided a stamp to the face. She drew her leg up and kicked forward as hard as she could. She felt the snap and heard a scream before her assailant toppled to the floor. A quick glance around told her everything.

"Mev!" she shouted, "Stop." She crossed the room and retrieved her disruptor, her command unheard by both Khan and the Klingon he was circling. She aimed the disruptor at his head and repeated her command. Khan's fist stopped inches from his face and he dropped it to his side. "Time for some answers." Alhana said kicking the back of the Klingon's knee. He fell forward. "Khan, secure the rest of these Klingons." She kept her disruptor aimed under the Klingon's ear while Khan did as she asked, one by one, he removed them to the corridor. Once he was sat down on the box again, she withdrew her disruptor and replaced it in its holster.

"Now, tell me, what's going on." Alhana said.

"You'll not get a thing from me," the Klingon spat. Alhana sighed.

"You can always count on the stubbornness of Klingons," Khan said.

"This is how it's going to go." Alhana said, "I'm going to get some answers from you, we'll discuss options once we know what is going on. One way or another, you will tell us what we want to know." She left it a moment, letting the words sink into the prisoner before her. She could see the thoughts flicker across his face.

"It's your choice, the easy way, or the hard way." Khan said rising to his feet.

He nodded, "We are here under Goran's orders." Alhana let out a breath, "We are training to be members of his elite attack force." Khan snorted. "We have been here for ten days and are awaiting a restock of weaponry."

Alhana unfolded her arms and placed her hands on her hips. She threw her hair back and nodded, "We have the weapons, what does Goran need with an elite attack force? He has the might of the Defence Force on his side."

"Not anymore. Chancellor Krenn has gained significant power while in exile, his return has caused a major shift, one Goran fears will see the end of hundreds of years of tradition. This is not the only camp and we are not the only ones in training."

"I see." Alhana said.

"And where do you stand with the Defence Force?" Khan asked.

"We have no ties to them." Khan and Alhana exchanged a glance before turning back to their captive.

"You may as well get up," she said, "We'll let you explain to your team who we are."

"And who is that?" he said getting to his feet and dusting off his trousers.

"Alhana and Khan, we have two companions with us, Tignor and Akhil. We're independent traders." She said.

"Koth," the Klingon said.

"Go, tell your team and remember, we beat you once so we can do it again." Khan said. Alhana watched him leave and Khan shut the door behind him. He leaned against it, "There is more to this than they know." He said. "They do not know about the ship and it would appear the ion disruption would be coming from elsewhere," he said. Alhana nodded.

"We could find ourselves caught in something big." Alhana said. "What do you think?"

"Get the other two and make our way out of the field. Get back to the Warbird and leave as soon as we can." A loud clang against the building highlighted the problem with that plan. "They were out in that without a problem, we need to find out how." A bang against the door behind Khan made the man move away and let the Klingon back in.

"Some of them are out cold, others are nursing injuries," Koth said, "How the hell did two humans manage to do that?" he asked.

"Neither of us are human." Khan replied. He then explained what they were while Alhana looked over the Klingons in the corridor. Koth was right; some of them were in a bad way. Still, none of them were in any danger of dying so she invited them back into their bunkroom.

"How long do these storms last?" she asked.

"Could be a few minutes, could be a few days," Koth shrugged. "This one isn't a bad one, should be over in an hour or so. We use exo-suits to get around." Khan and Alhana exchanged glances; there was only one course of action!


	6. Chapter 6

The weather outside the building was worse than Alhana had thought. Sand and dust whipped around the compound with little mercy for anything living. Small stones clattered along the ground and the roar of the wind made hearing anything else an impossibility. There was no sign of the other buildings but Koth has told them they were located to the south. With that in mind, Alhana and Khan fought their way through the wind to the other building of the compound. Alhana wrenched at the door as hard as she could but it refused to budge. Khan nudged her out the door and forced it open, making it look far too easy. They entered the building and removed their helmets, "Tig!" Alhana shouted, "Akhil!" There was no reply.

"Tig!" Khan yelled. "They must be further in." The building was almost identical in construction to the other but instead of being full of bunks, it contained a small kitchen and utility room. There was another door leading from the corridor but when Alhana reached forward to open it, Khan stopped her. "They're in there but you might want to give them a moment." Alhana raised an eyebrow. Khan knocked on the door.

"We'll be in the kitchen, be there in five minutes," he said. He turned and left, Alhana followed.

"I had no idea those two were…" Alhana said as she began to look through the cupboards.

"Doing the horizontal monster-mash?" Khan said leaning against one of the sideboards.

"The what?" Alhana said pausing as she removed two cups. Khan made a loop with one hand and poked a finger through it. "I know what you mean but never heard it referred to as _that_ before."

"Never mind," Khan said. Alhana placed another two cups on the side and began opening other drawers and cupboards. By the time Tig and Akhil joined them, she'd made a batch of hot coffee for them all. There was no sign of shame or embarrassment from them, only a sly grin, which was all she needed to know the truth. She let Khan fill them in on what they'd learned while she sipped her drink, it was bitter and not pleasant but it was wet and warm and her throat was remarkably dry.

"What's next?" Akhil asked drinking her coffee. She pulled a face.

"We need to-" Alhana's words were cut off by a huge rumbling. The floor of the building shook, the cupboards rattled and some plates flew off the shelf, smashing on the floor.

"What was that?" Tig said with a frown. Before they had a chance to move, another bang sounded outside.

"That wasn't a rock." Khan said. "Get down." Alhana did as he said just as a huge explosion ripped through the air. The building came down around them, she covered her head with her hands and curled up as small as she could, hoping that the flying rubble would miss her completely. There was the delicate crash of crockery smashing as it hit the floor, a bang as something heavier hit the ground. Another boom sounded and the roar of the wind flung around her. Alhana opened her eyes; the building had been partially destroyed, allowing the storm to ravage the kitchen. She looked around to see Khan huddled close by, he beckoned towards her and she scrabbled over. Sand stung her eyes and obscured her vision so she squeezed them shut. Khan grabbed a hold of her and pulled her in as another explosion ripped through the compound.

"What's going on?" she shouted.

"Torpedo fire."

"General Goran."

"Probably, we need to get out this wind." Khan said. The abrasive sand on her cheek had already caused the skin to sting. Too much would scour it off completely, "Come on." Khan said. He lifted her onto her feet and half pulled half dragged her back into the corridor. It too had been decimated but the remaining structure served as a wind break. Alhana leaned against it; she looked down and saw she still had her mug in her hand. She put it to one side and rubbed the grit from her eyes.

"What about the other two?" she said.

"I couldn't see them." Khan replied. A barrage of sand and rock pummelled the remaining wall, forcing them to hunker down further. Torpedo fire sounded in the distance, Alhana braced herself against the wall but there was no impact, "The fire is moving away. We have to go."

"Go where?" Alhana said.

"Away from he-" Khan's words were cut off by the familiar hum of a transporter beam, Alhana looked down at her hands, which were engulfed with white light. Khan too was beginning to glow. The wind, the dust, the flying grit all disappeared, when her vision returned to normal, they were on board a ship. Not her ship. The second thing she realised was that they were in a cell. She stood and brushed the dust from her. The only piece of furniture in the cell was a single bench. The floor was as solid as the walls. The only way out was a single barred door at one end of the small room.

"I get the distinct feeling we have been here before." Khan said.

"In a cell? Not too unlike how we met," she said. She paced to the front of the cell and tried to get a look around. She could neither see nor hear anyone else. She swallowed, "This is the last place I wanted to be."

"Stuck in a cell with me again?" Khan said.

"No, not that. If I was going to be stuck in a room with anyone, you'd be at the top of the list but I mean on this ship." Alhana said. She returned to the bench and sat next to Khan. "This is my father's ship."

"What will he do to you?"

"The same as any other prisoner I expect." Alhana replied. She glanced down at her wrist but there was nothing there. "He'll ask me a load of questions, I won't answer, he'll get mad, we'll fight and then I'll end up back here. It's how it always goes. How it used to go anyway."

Khan placed a firm hand on her shoulder and gave a squeeze, "We'll get out of this," he said. Alhana nodded.

"I hope Tig and Akhil made it out," she said. Khan nodded.

"We'll find out soon enough."

"Not very good at the old comfort thing eh!" she said. Khan frowned and withdrew his hand, "It's OK, me neither. I just hope we're not kept waiting long, I want this over and done with." She folded her hands in her lap, there was only one thing to do – wait.


	7. Chapter 7

When their captors eventually came to the cell, it wasn't Alhana they took. Four Klingons appeared and led Khan away. Alhana knew he could fight his way out of them but she shook his head when he glanced at her. His blue eyes darkened but he went with the Klingons anyway. Alhana didn't know how long she was alone for. Shortly after they took Khan away, she reclined on the bench and let her eyes close. Her ribs ached from the kicking she'd received during the fight and her head ached. She drifted into a sleep filled with fitful dreams. When she awoke, she had no idea how much time had passed, she was still alone. At least her head was no longer pounding, although a cup of coffee would be good. She arose from the bench and stretched her arms up, the bench hadn't been the most comfortable but it was better than the floor.

"It's always the same with you." The harsh Klingon voice was instantly recognisable as her father, "Showing up when you're least wanted."

"Good to see you too father." Alhana said turning around to face him. He sat on a simple chair, his arms crossed over his chest. The years had not been kind to the General, his once thick dark hair had thinned considerably and was now more grey than brown. His cranial ridges had sunk and his beard was completely white, yet his eyes were as black and sharp as ever and his posture showed he was still every bit the warrior he always was.

"What are you doing here?" he said.

"Give me some of that coffee and I'll consider answering that," Alhana replied sitting down on the floor. He remained where he was so she sat there watching Gorchek, waiting for him to do something. She took a deep breath, opened her mouth as though to speak, shut it again and exhaled.

"Who is that man?" he said

"Which one?" Alhana replied.

"The one who was in your cell."

"You have him, why don't you try asking?" Alhana said waving her hand. She could hear her father's sigh from where she sat. Good.

"I don't think you realise the gravity of the situation, what are you doing here?" he asked again. Alhana caught some of her stray locks of reddish hair and ran her fingers through the snarls. It had become rather tangled and dusty over the past few hours.

"I could ask you the same thing," she said.

"Alhana, this is serious." Gorchek rose from his sit and paced back and forth in front of her, "Where is that ship of yours?"

"I'll tell you nothing," she replied getting to her feet and brushing her hands together.

"I need answers, daughter or not, I will have them by any means necessary. I cannot put family ties over Defence Force orders." Gorchek said. He turned to face her cell and Alhana shrugged.

"I don't care about your orders any more than I care about some civil war brewing in the Empire. Don't look so shocked, of course I know about it," she said. The look her father gave her was withering. "The Force didn't want me and I didn't want it. I carved my own-"

"Sneaking, smuggling and flying around in that bucket with every misfit you can find? You call that a life?"

"No more than yours is here." Alhana retorted. Gorchek's fist curled. Alhana swallowed, she hoped Khan was ok, "Where are my friends?"

"The murderer and the exile?" They had Tig and Akhil! "They're being questioned as we speak. The human is being dealt with." That didn't sound good, "I answered one of yours now you answer me, why are you here?"

"I was charged with delivering supplies to the colony on B'Moth. My scanners are clearly on the out and we ended up in the middle of a fire-fight," she said. She swallowed and wiped her sweating hands on her trousers. Gorchek's eyes narrowed and he shook his head.

"You're nervousness betrays your lie," he said, "No matter, we'll get it out of one of your companions and then decide what to do with you." Gorchek turned his back on her.

"How's mum?" she asked pacing forward to the door of the cell.

"Well," he said. He said no more on the subject and she watched him leave. Once she was alone again, she slumped to the floor. She let out a breath and allowed her hands to shake. The churning of her stomach settled after a moment, it could have gone better but then, it could have been so much worse too. She buried her head in her hands and took a few deep breaths, clearing her mind as best she could.

She didn't know how long she had sat there when the sound of a group approaching caught her attention. The sound of scuffing caught her ears and the scent of blood. An unconscious form was dragged to the cell opposite hers and flung in by three heavy guards. There was no ceremony, nothing; the body was kicked out of the way of the door. The door was bolted and the guards left. Alhana rushed to the front of her cell and looked across to the other cell. There was no mistaking that prone form, it was Tig.

"Tig!" she shouted across the room, "Hey! Tig!" There was no response. Alhana sank back to the floor and waited. What else was there to do except wait? The minutes ticked passed and there were no further disturbances. The silence made her realise how much she missed Khan, his calm reassurances, although strained at times, were a comfort. Even his casual flirtations were missed, which was really saying something because most of the time it was more of annoyance than anything. She missed his scent and how his presence filled the room; Tig would be laughing at her if he could see her moping about. She shook her head and shut her eyes, banishing all thoughts from her mind.

She must have drifted off because the next thing she knew the cell was being opened once more. Khan was shoved inside and the cell quickly locked again. Her friend fell forwards and hit the floor face first. "Khan?" Alhana said. She scrabbled over and pushed dark blood-soaked hair out the way. There was a red smear across his temple and numerous other cuts to his upper body. Alhana swallowed. He was still breathing at least. She smoothed his hair back a couple of times before she knew what she was doing.

"Is this what it takes to get some affection from you?" he whispered. His voice was hardly audible. She withdrew her hand.

"Sorry," she said. "Are you hurt? That's a stupid question, I can see you are. Is it serious?" Khan rolled onto his back and looked up into her eyes.

"Nothing that won't heal."

"I think we may be here a while." Alhana said.

"Until they find out what they want to know." Khan said.

"What did you tell them?" Alhana asked. She stretched her legs out in front of her and sighed.

"Nothing." Khan said. Alhana patted her friend's thigh and smiled.

"Perfect. I said we were delivering supplies to the colony. The sooner we get off this ship the better." Alhana said.

"Hmm," Khan muttered. His blue eyes drifted closed and his breathing became regular. Alhana sighed, there was nothing left to do but wait once more.


	8. Chapter 8

The next time the cell door opened, both Khan and Alhana were dragged out. The painful fingers of a Defence Force Bekk dug into her shoulders as Alhana was forced out. They were dragged in silence back to the ship's transporter room. After the brief warm hum of the transport, they were flung face first onto the dusty ground of the planet. "I do not have time to lecture you about the merits of this war, only that you're on the wrong side." It was her father who spoke, "I grant you leniency on the count that you are my daughter. That will not happen again."

With that, the transporter kicked back in again and the Klingon's disappeared leaving them with nothing but the wind blowing around them. Khan got to his feet and rubbed a hand over his face, "Come on Alhana, we should get moving." He extended a hand and she took it. He pulled her upright and she nodded.

"What do you propose we do?"

"The wind rips through this planet causing violent storms, this we have already experienced and now we do not have access to exo-suits." Khan said.

"We have no idea where we're going."

"Let's pick a direction and go. We'll gain nothing by standing here."

"Very well." Alhana said glancing around, "There might be a ridge in the distance over that way, let's head there and see what we can find." Khan nodded and took a step in the direction she has indicated, "We need to get back to the ship, get in touch with Goran and tell him what's happened here." Alhana said as she strode after Khan.

"Why?" he said increasing his pace to a jog. Alhana matched him and thought on his question. Did they owe Goran anything? It would be surprising if he paid up after the events. The Warbird still had the weapons and now there was no base to deliver it to.

"We'll do it because it will piss off Gorchek," she said.

"Is that the only reason you can come up with?"

"My father tortured at least two of my closest friends. Tig is like a brother to me. I have no idea what he has done to Akhil. There is no way we can take him in a fair fight but we can harm the cause he fights for. That will have to be vengeance enough for the damage caused." Alhana said. She half expected a witty retort about how he got to be a close friend but instead he remained curiously silent, his face was calm and after a moment he nodded.

"I would do the same," was all he said on the matter. They jogged in silence for a long while until Alhana had to slow to a walk. The ridge had turned into a mountain range but the wind had picked up. Cold blasts of air ravaged the landscape, picking up grit and flinging it against the two fugitives.

"Give me a moment," Alhana said. The burning in her quads wasn't eased by the slowed pace but it was giving her lungs a chance to recover. They'd been jogging for what felt like hours. Khan slowed and walked beside her, keeping the pace brisk.

"There's a storm coming."

"The day keeps getting better," she said rolling her eyes, "Come on then." She picked her pace back up and Khan followed. The wind picked up after a few minutes and there was a new cold to it that hadn't been there before. It tugged at Alhana's clothes and its icy fingers found its way into every gap. It froze the sweat on her skin and chilled her burning muscles. It was not a pleasant sensation, it made the running that much more difficult and it looked like they had made no progress towards the mountain. Alhana glanced at Khan as they ran; he showed no sign of fatigue or needing to slow. She let out a puff of breath and forced the steel weights that were her legs to keep pounding the floor, moving her forward. The thought of being out in the swirling eddying dust as it picked up speed kept her going. Slowly, the mountains grew in size. As they got closer, the mountains turned into a craggy cliff face with multiple nooks and crannies. The sharp wind had worn shallow hollows in the cliff, the bombardment of sand on the stone causing the wear. Alhana paused for a moment when they reached the shadow of the cliff.

"We have to find shelter." Khan said. Annoyingly enough, there was no sign of sweat on him anywhere. "Look, we don't have long!"

Alhana turned her gaze behind them and saw a gargantuan red cloud travelling towards them. A scattering of rock by her feet stirred in the wind and she knew her companion was right. "This way." Alhana followed Khan. "We're looking for something a bit deeper than these crags," Khan said.

"What about this?" Alhana said indicating a cave to her right.

"No, deeper than that, we want to be out the wind completely else we'll have our skin scrubbed off."

"Well, we'd better find it fast." The wind roared around them now, drowning out most sound. Bigger stones were hurled around. Alhana cried out as one was dashed against her shoulder. Pain erupted down her arm and spread to her fingers. She cradled it in her left hand and continued to follow Khan.

"Here!" he said. The entrance was partially blocked by sand and fallen rocks but Alhana could just make out a darker area behind them. Khan clambered over the debris and looked around. He disappeared for a moment before reappearing, "It'll do." Alhana did her best to scrabble over the large rocks and duck down into the cave. As she did so, the crash of a rock hitting the cliff boomed overhead. Alhana sank to the cold floor of the cave and let out a breath.

"I've not ran like that since my training days," she said.

"It was necessary, how's the shoulder?" Khan asked. Alhana let go of her arm and winced as she moved it.

"Sore but I don't think anything is broken," she said eventually. Another crash from the mouth of the cave sounded, moments later, they were plunged into darkness as the mouth of the cave was covered with debris. Alhana could see nothing, even after her eyes readjusted to the darkness; she could only make out the slightest of detail. She could hear Khan more than see him. "Just finishes off the day nicely," she said.

"We can recover and wait out the storm here; we'll decide what to do when it's over. Is your wrist-watch working?" he asked. She heard him sit on the floor somewhere nearby as she tapped into the device on her arm. The thing was dead.

"Nothing."

"Recover it is then." Khan said. Alhana unfolded her legs and stretched out. The ground was cold and she knew it was going to be awful when she got up but there was nothing else for it.

"This is not going to be the most comfortable night I have ever spent." Alhana said.

"No, it's going to get rather cold." Khan said.

"And we're back to waiting again, always waiting." Alhana said.

"Well, at least we can relax for a bit."

"True." Alhana said with a laugh, "Although this is not my idea of a relaxing time."

"Truth be told, me neither." Silence descended between them and after a while Alhana's eyes grew heavier than her aching legs. She let her eyes drift closed and sleep claimed her, her last thoughts were on how they were going to get out of this mess.


	9. Chapter 9

It was still very dark when Alhana awoke, the faint light filtered through the tiny gap in the rocks doing next to nothing to illuminate the room. She could see the exit and a little of the caves features but that wasn't the first thing on her mind. The cold was. Alhana bunched her knees up to her chest and thrust her hands between them. Her toes curled in her boots, the movement was painful. She pushed her face into the hem of her top and blew into it, trying to warm her nose with her breath. It was a futile attempt, the icy air found every chink in her clothing, every piece of exposed skin was frigid and the side of her that contacted the ground drew the cold into her body, even her bones felt frozen. She began to shiver. Great convulsions wracked through her and her teeth rattled in her head as her jaw clamped together. She forced her arms closer to her body but it was useless, she was still cold. She heard scuffing behind her and wondered if Khan was as cold as she was, "Are you awake?" she whispered.

"Yes."

"It's freezing," she said.

"Yes." He replied. "We need warmth."

"What are you suggesting?"

Alhana heard Khan scoot around and the felt his warmth against her back. She was too cold to protest. "Don't struggle, it's the best we have." Khan said. His arm curled around her waist and she relaxed. His breath was hot on the back of her neck and his touch did much to warm her blood regardless of body heat. She swallowed. Could it be that her hands were actually sweating? His scent, heady and masculine, drifted around her. She concentrated on keeping her breathing steady. He brushed her thick hair out of his face, smoothing it against her head.

"Forgive the unruliness of my hair," she whispered, "Something I inherited from my father." He ran his hand over her curls again and she shivered, this time it had nothing to do with the cold. He pushed it down once more before stilling his hand and settling down.

"I doubt it is the only thing you inherited." His voice vibrated through her and she let her eyes close. This wasn't good; it was only going to end badly for both of them. There was no way she could succumb to how he made her feel. No matter how good it felt, they had to work together after all and it would make it awkward. Still, the tingling he sent through her spine was delightful and the way they fit together like this made it seem like it was supposed to happen. If he touched her one more time, there was no way she was going to be able to hold herself back. No, she'd not give in, she'd do the right thing and swallow the rising passion. Khan blew a soft breath onto the back of her neck and chuckled, a low rumbling sound that was both endearing and infuriating. "If it's any consolation, what you struggle with now is what I have thought and not acted on for some time now."

Alhana remained silent, letting those words sink in. Somehow she had known what he said was true, the incident in the corridor had proved that yet she'd been too scared to act on her own desires. "I don't…" She swallowed and knew this was not going to end well. His deft fingers tripped along her neck and rested on her shoulder before his tips probed where she'd been hit by the rock, "Khan."

"One word and I'll stop," he said. Alhana's voice caught in her throat as he found the spot where the most damage had been done. A flash of white ripped through her and she inhaled sharply. "I didn't think so." Khan said. He continued to massage the wounded flesh with his nimble fingers and Alhana felt herself relaxing under his touch, "There is nothing wrong with what we're doing," he said.

"The others-"

"Don't need to know," he finished. Alhana thought about that while he saw to her shoulder. Maybe he had a point there. The crew didn't have to know. Why would they be bothered anyway? She could take her pleasure where she wanted, much as they did. She had done so in the past. Yet, she couldn't help remember what that had cost her.

"I can't believe I am even thinking about this," she muttered. Khan let his hand rest on her shoulder; they were both still for a long moment. Alhana sighed, knowing that she was about to make one of her biggest mistakes. She took a deep breath and rolled over to face him. She couldn't see him in the dark, no more than an outline in the deep gloom. His hand brushed her cheek for a moment before his palm came to rest on her face. Alhana swallowed, she had the strong desire to throw something at him, though he had done nothing to warrant an assault. Or maybe he had. The blood-fire of her father's people ran through her as strongly as her mother's. She wondered what it was he was waiting for, some sign of approval from her maybe. She'd never lain with someone as human as he was and the unfamiliarity of their customs suddenly became a hurdle. "Khan?" she whispered, hoping the question in her voice was enough.

"It's been so long," he muttered. She wished she could see the expression on his face, reading his voice was difficult.

"What do you-" her voice was silenced when his lips finally found hers. Alhana stiffened under the surprise but as Khan pressed his mouth on her more firmly, she relaxed. She pushed a hand through his hair and let it rest on the back of his head, gently encouraging him to deepen the kiss. His mouth was softer than any she had known, a real feast. His lips parted and his tongue pressed against her lips, coaxing her to open them. She did so but instead of pushing forward, he retreated. His hand dropped from her face and he pulled away. "What?" Alhana said, keeping her voice low. Had she done something wrong?

"Shh," he said, not unkindly. Alhana remained silent for a moment, curled in the cold darkness. She strained to hear what Khan was listening for, was that a scratching? "Someone's coming," he said. They both sat up into a crouch position; ready so see who it was on the other side of the cave-in. Slowly, the small patch of light grew as bits of rubble were cleared away. The light seemed overly bright after the darkness of the cave. The circle was filled with a face, when Alhana saw who it was, her stomach sank and she shut her eyes. This was not going to end well.


	10. Chapter 10

Whoever this intruder was, it was not going to end well for them at all. Alhana was furious! Just as she'd made her decision about Khan, they'd been interrupted. All that fire, doubt and fear bled into her and what for? Someone to come along and just disregard it? No. Alhana licked her lips, she could still taste him and fresh heat ran through her. She curled her hands into fist and glared at the figure in the circle of light. Her heart thudded in her chest and she knew she was failing to keep her breathing level. "Alhana," Khan whispered. She shook her head. Not this time. There had been far too much go wrong on this mission for something else to mess up as well. She stood up

"What do you want?" she said.

"Wej SuH!" Came the demand. "Get out of there!"

"I am so sick of Klingon's," she said turning to Khan. "If they catch us, they'll sling us in a cell and forget we're there, or kill us. I am sick of seeing the inside of cells." She pushed her hair back out of her face. Khan nodded. She mounted the pile of rocks and walked out into the bright light of day. There were twelve Klingon's waiting for her, all armed, all weapons pointing at her. Instinctively, she reached for the holster at her side but it was empty, her weapon still on board her father's ship. No matter, she'd acquire one from these chumps. Khan followed behind her, making sure that his hands were showing.

"What are you doing here?"

"Always with the demands." Alhana said. "I have had it with demands and disruptors being waved at me." Her voice grew louder as she spoke; there was nothing she could do to prevent that. She strode forward, "I'll be damned before I ever answer to the likes of you."

Behind her, Khan let out what could only be described as a war cry. Disruptors fired but the Klingon who had made demands was the only thing she could see. She bunched her palm into a fist and jabbed it straight into his face. It was followed by a sharp left hook and a kick to the chest. He flew backwards and as he moved, she reached forward and pulled his knife from its sheath. She used it on her next opponent, slashing up at his arm as he strode towards her. A spray of blood covered her hand and she smiled. She drove her head into the Klingon's nose and she felt a satisfying crunch. The Klingon stumbled back. A sharp blow to her back spun her around. She brought the knife to bear and gashed an offending leg. She let out a scream as she rushed her attacker. Never had she felt so free in combat before. Blood pounded through her veins as she attacked her latest opponent and she couldn't keep from grinning. She drove the dagger through his shoulder, yanked it out and turned to see who was next.

The last opponent was on his knees in front of Khan, whose hands were clamped firmly around his skull. Both were letting out cries. Alhana ran forward. As she reached them, there was a sickening crunch and sticky blood splattered onto Khan's hands and her face. She looked at Khan with glee, "That was a sweet move."

"Klingon skulls are somewhat stronger than human ones, I was unsure whether it would work," he replied wiping the blood from his hands onto his trousers. He straightened and she smiled.

"There was no way I was going back into another cage," she said. She shook her hand and limped over to where Khan stood. She realised, now the fight was over, that her leg muscles were stiff from yesterday's run and her shoulder was screaming. Khan slung his arm over her shoulder and she sagged into him, "I want to go home," she said.

"I can imagine you require some coffee and a shower." Khan said. Alhana nodded.

"You know me well. I want to find Tig and Akhil as well," she added.

"If we can get back to the ship, we can use the scanners to try and find them." Khan said.

"If they're working." Alhana said.

"We've got to get back first," he said. "We should get moving." Alhana looked up at him and placed a hand on his firm chest.

"Before we move off or anything, you owe me something," she said. Her heart began pounding at her own boldness but there was no way she was going to let this go. His bright azure eyes darkened in a way she had never seen before and he glanced down at her.

"You're right, I do, but now is not the time or place," he ran a finger along her jawline up towards her ear, "tempting as it is," he said, "We need to get somewhere safe."

"I don't think I could run today," she said leaning her head against his hand as he caressed her cheek. He caught her chin between his thumb and fore finger and tilted her head so she was looking up at him. He reached down and brushed her forehead with his lips. The small gesture made her heart beat that much faster; her breath caught in her throat and all the moisture disappeared from her mouth.

"I'll not make you run, I don't want to you exhausted," Khan said. Alhana swallowed; her throat dry. She nodded. "Let's go." She disentangled herself from Khan's arm and set off walking adjacent to the cliff wall. Khan followed on her heels. They walked in silence for a long time, focusing on battling the landscape rather than each other. The terrain was ragged and rocky, not something Alhana had noticed the previous night. The further they walked, the more the cliff they followed turned into a gully. Alhana thought about turning back but they'd been walking for hours. The large fallen rocks had been an annoyance at first, now it was a nuisance and slowed them down. Not that she had the faintest idea knew where they were going anyway. When she saw the huge rock barring the way, she slumped against it with a sigh. Her calves were burning and her breath came in gasps.

"We can get over that," Khan said.

"How did I know you'd say that?" Alhana said. She was already covered in dust and grime from the last few hours and tired, so, so tired. "Give me a minute." Khan nodded and looked at the boulder that barred their path. He'd scaled it before she'd caught her breath. "How did you..?"

"Come now, you really need me to answer that?" He said extending his arm down to her. She took his cool hand and he hoisted her up with ease. He jumped down the other side and then helped her down. She didn't let go of his hand as she settled on the ground in front of him. She made to walk on but he tugged her back to him. He pulled her into his arms with the ghost of a smile on his face. "You're holding up well," he whispered. She looked into his cool blue eyes and was flooded with warmth. She smiled up at him, the warmth expanded as he leaned forward to claim her. Hang on. A brilliant light surrounded them both and before she could move, they were both stood on the transporter deck of her own ship. They remained frozen in place for a long moment after light and warmth had faded.

A cough snapped her attention away from Khan, "Captain?" It was Kang.

"You have no idea how grateful I am Kang." Alhana said stepping off the transporter. She left Khan where he was for the moment. Colour flushed to her cheeks and she clapped Kang on the arm, "We have work to do," she said before storming out of the transporter room.


End file.
